Alright, let’s talk about my time watching José Berríos when he was wearing a Minnesota Twins uniform. It feels like ages ago now, doesn’t it?
I started really paying attention when he was coming up through the minors. You heard the buzz, you know? This kid, “La Makina,” they called him. Supposedly had electric stuff. So, I made it a point to follow his progress, check the box scores from Rochester, trying to see if the hype was real.
Then he finally got the call. First few starts? A bit rough, gotta be honest. You saw the potential, that fastball had zip, and the curveball could be downright nasty. But man, he could get knocked around too. It was like a learning process, not just for him, but for me watching him. You’d see a flash of brilliance, then a couple of innings later, he’d lose command.
Watching Him Grow (Sort Of)
Over the next few years, I watched him settle in. He became the guy, right? The closest thing we had to an ace for a while there. He put together some solid seasons.
Things I noticed:
- That curveball was his money pitch. When it was biting, hitters looked silly.
- The fastball velocity was good, usually sat mid-90s.
- He always seemed like a competitor on the mound. Good energy.
- Sometimes, though, he’d still have those games where things just unraveled fast. One bad inning could sink him.
I remember going to a couple of games he started. You felt like you had a decent shot to win when Berríos was on the bump, more so than with some other guys. He made a couple of All-Star teams, which was cool to see. Felt like validation, you know? Our guy was getting recognized.
The Trade Talk and What Happened
Then the talk started. You knew his contract was coming up, and you knew the Twins had a history of not always paying top dollar for pitching. I spent a lot of time debating with friends – should they pay him? Should they trade him? What could they get back?
It felt inevitable, honestly. The closer it got to the deadline that year, the more resigned I became to him being moved. Didn’t make it suck any less when it actually happened, though. Seeing him go to Toronto, man, that was a tough pill to swallow. Felt like the end of an era, even if it wasn’t a championship one.
Looking back now, my whole “practice” of following Berríos with the Twins was just… watching a really talented pitcher go through the cycles. High expectations, some great moments, some frustrating ones, and then the business side of baseball takes over. It’s just how it goes, I guess. You invest your time watching these guys, you root for them, and then poof, they’re pitching for someone else. Still, gotta appreciate the good innings he gave Minnesota while he was here.
